It’s been many years since I’ve been to a Harry’s Hofbau, in fact I don’t think they served beer then (1989), if they did it wasn’t good beer. Kind of disappointed in the food choices. Doesn’t look like it has changed much either. Then I walked in to the bar. A nice tap list and cooler filled with tasty beers.

It had been here since I was in middle school, in the mid 90s, so it was about time to go back. The layout is interesting in that the dining area is pretty small compared to the bar area and the food is served cafeteria style. Normally I scroll past tri tip sandwiches as I’m always let down but one look at the tri tip they were cutting up and my mind was made up. I got it on Dutch crunch bread (something I’ve never been able to find outside of the bay area) dipped in the au jus sauce. It was good. Prices start a little high but so do the serving sizes. The amount of food that you get for the money that you spend is impressive.

The beer list is pretty impressive these days. Two dozen taps and half a dozen good IPAs along with some Belgian stuff and a bunch of other random choices, most of which are west coast beers. I went with the blonde from Cellarmaker who is showing a lot of potential for becoming the next great brewery.

The atmosphere was once described as "geriatric" which is more less correct but it’s fine. Not sure how many Germans actually go here but they certainly play up the German restaurant-theme. I’ll have to stop back in more often.

Not surprisingly a lot like the Harry’s in San Jose, but perhaps a slightly better taplist. Great customer service, a pretty nice bottle list (I picked up a Peche ’n Brett), and 28 rotating taps of great beers. Definitely worth looking for if you are on the penninsula. And its like 5 minutes from K&L - Bonus!

Once you get past the nursing home crowd, there’s a really nice beer bar. A couple dozen taps with a much younger/less geriatric crowd in the bar. I stopped in during their IPA festival during SF Beer Week, and there were a ton of great beers to try. Great service, even with the big crowd. Not a place I would have thought to go for beer when I was growing up in the area, definitely worth a stop.